Therapy Dog Jackie

At Hathaway-Sycamores Jackie is a Hero Dog!

At Hathaway-Sycamores we know Jackie is a hero because of the work he does with the kids in our Outpatient Services in Pacoima.

Jackie is extremely versatile in his work, besides helping our children and youth, Jackie helps relieve the stress of Travelers at LAX and has worked with Alzheimer’s patients.

As a puppy, the 9 year old Doberman’s life was heartbreaking.According to Marwick Kane, Jackie’s owner, “Jackie had been neglected starved and denied human contact and it was apparent he was kept in a small space,” when Marwick adopted Jackie from Doberman Rescue, L.A. at 9 months old. “For the first few months with me he paced for hours at a time. All he ever wants to do is be at my side or greeting a total stranger with his Doberman lean and a thrust of his head to their hand.”

Discussing Jackie’s work Marwick explains, “[Jackie] works with children [at Hathaway-Sycamores] who are dealing with a number of issues, from being bullied to getting over a fear of dogs after being attacked, to abandonment issues. Jackie is also a LAX Therapy dog in the P.U.P. (PETS UNSTRESSING PASSENGERS) program. Jackie works the International Terminal seeing passengers off on flights going all over the world. He is an incredible ambassador for the Doberman Pinscher breed, as well as L.A. He is currently helping one young woman at the airport get over her lifelong fear of dogs.”

Marwick believes in the importance of therapy dogs in general, but feels Jackie’s background of abuse and neglect, in addition to the important healing work he does, is what makes him so special and a true hero.